We left all hands at work for the building of the
wall about Jerusalem. But such good work is not wont to be carried
on without opposition; now here we are told what opposition was
given to it, and what methods Nehemiah took to forward the work,
notwithstanding that opposition. I. Their enemies reproached and
ridiculed their undertaking, but their scoffs they answered with
prayers: they heeded them not, but went on with their work
notwithstanding, ver. 1-6.
II. They formed a bloody design against them, to hinder them by
force of arms, ver. 7, 8,
10-12. To guard against this Nehemiah prayed (ver. 9), set guards (ver. 13), and encouraged them to fight
(ver. 14), by which the
design was broken (ver. 15),
and so the work was carried on with all needful precaution against
a surprise, ver. 16-23.
In all this Nehemiah approved himself a man of great wisdom and
courage, as well as great piety.

The Opposition of Sanballat,
&c.. (b. c. 445.)

1 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard
that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation,
and mocked the Jews. 2 And he spake before his brethren and
the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they
fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a
day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish
which are burned? 3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by
him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he
shall even break down their stone wall. 4 Hear, O our God;
for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head,
and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: 5 And
cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from
before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the
builders. 6 So built we the wall; and all the wall was
joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to
work.

Here is, I. The spiteful scornful
reflection which Sanballat and Tobiah cast upon the Jews for their
attempt to build the wall about Jerusalem. The country rang of it
presently; intelligence was brought of it to Samaria, that nest of
enemies to the Jews and their prosperity; and here we are told how
they received the tidings. 1. In heart. They were very angry at the
undertaking, and had great indignation, v. 1. It vexed them that Nehemiah came
to seek the welfare of the children of Israel (ch. ii. 10); but, when they heard of
this great undertaking for their good, they were out of all
patience. They had hitherto pleased themselves with the thought
that while Jerusalem was unwalled they could swallow it up and make
themselves masters of it when they pleased; but, if it be walled,
it will not only be fenced against them, but by degrees become
formidable to them. The strength and safety of the church are the
grief and vexation of its enemies. 2. In word. They despised it,
and made it the subject of their ridicule. In this they
sufficiently displayed their malice; but good was brought out of
it; for, looking upon it as a foolish undertaking that would sink
under its own weight, they did not go about to obstruct it till it
was too late. Let us see with what pride and malice they set
themselves publicly to banter it. (1.) Sanballat speaks with scorn
of the workmen: "These feeble Jews" (v. 2), "what will they do for materials?
Will they revive the stones out of the rubbish? And what
mean they by being so hasty? Do they think to make the walling of a
city but one day's work, and to keep the feast of dedication with
sacrifice the next day? Poor silly people! See how ridiculous they
make themselves!" (2.) Tobiah speaks with no less scorn of the work
itself. He has his jest too, and must show his wit, v. 3. Profane scoffers sharpen
one another. "Sorry work," says he, "they are likely to make of it;
they themselves will be ashamed of it: If a fox go up, not
with his subtlety, but with his weight, he will break down their
stone wall." Many a good work has been thus looked upon with
contempt by the proud and haughty scorners.

St-Takla.org Image:
The enemies of the people plot to fight them, in order to stop building the wall
of Jerusalem: Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem
the Arab (Nehemiah 4:1-9)

II. Nehemiah's humble and devout address to
God when he heard of these reflections. He had notice brought him
of what they said. It is probable that they themselves sent him a
message to this purport, to discourage him, hoping to jeer him out
of his attempt; but he did not answer these fools according to
their folly; he did not upbraid them with their weakness, but
looked up to God by prayer.

1. He begs of God to take notice of the
indignities that were done them (v. 4), and in this we are to imitate
him: Hear, O our God! for we are despised. Note, (1.) God's
people have often been a despised people, and loaded with contempt.
(2.) God does, and will, hear all the slights that are put upon his
people, and it is their comfort that he does so and a good reason
why they should be as though they were deaf, Ps. xxxviii. 13, 15. "Thou art our God to
whom we appeal; our cause needs no more than a fair hearing."

2. He begs of God to avenge their cause and
turn the reproach upon the enemies themselves (v. 4, 5); and this was spoken rather
by a spirit of prophecy than by a spirit of prayer, and is not to
be imitated by us who are taught of Christ to pray for those
that despitefully use and persecute us. Christ himself
prayed for those that reproached him: Father, forgive them.
Nehemiah here prays, Cover not their iniquity. Note, (1.)
Those that cast contempt on God's people do but prepare everlasting
shame for themselves. (2.) It is a sin from which sinners are
seldom recovered. Doubtless Nehemiah had reason to think the hearts
of those sinners were desperately hardened, so that they would
never repent of it, else he would not have prayed that it might
never be blotted out. The reason he gives is not, They
have abused us, but, They have provoked thee, and that
before the builders, to whom, it is likely, they sent a
spiteful message. Note, We should be angry at the malice of
persecutors, not because it is abusive to us, but because it is
offensive to God; and on that we may ground an expectation that God
will appear against it, Ps. lxxiv.
18, 22.

III. The vigour of the builders,
notwithstanding these reflections, v. 6. They made such good speed that in
a little time they had run up the wall to half its height, for
the people had a mind to work; their hearts were upon it,
and they would have it forwarded. Note, 1. Good work goes on well
when people have a mind to it. 2. The reproaches of enemies should
rather quicken us to our duty than drive us from it.

7 But it came to pass, that when
Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the
Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up,
and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were
very wroth, 8 And conspired all of them together to come
and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it. 9
Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch
against them day and night, because of them. 10 And Judah
said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and
there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the
wall. 11 And our adversaries said, They shall not know,
neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them,
and cause the work to cease. 12 And it came to pass, that
when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten
times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will
be upon you. 13 Therefore set I in the lower places
behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the
people after their families with their swords, their spears, and
their bows. 14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the
nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye
afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and
terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your
daughters, your wives, and your houses. 15 And it came to
pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had
brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the
wall, every one unto his work.

We have here,

I. The conspiracy which the Jews' enemies
formed against them, to stay the building by slaying the builders.
The conspirators were not only Sanballat and Tobiah, but other
neighbouring people whom they had drawn into the plot. They
flattered themselves with a fancy that the work would soon stand
still of itself; but, when they heard that it went on a prospered,
they were angry at the Jews for being so hasty to push the work
forward and angry at themselves for being so slow in opposing it
(v. 7): They were
very wroth. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce, and their
wrath, for it was cruel. Nothing would serve but they would
fight against Jerusalem, v. 8. Why, what quarrel had they with
the Jews? Had they done them any wrong? Or did they design them
any? No, they lived peaceably by them; but it was merely out of
envy and malice; they hated the Jews' piety, and were therefore
vexed at their prosperity and sought their ruin. Observe, 1. How
unanimous they were: They conspired all of them together,
though of different interests among themselves, yet one in their
opposition to the work of God. 2. How close they were; they said,
"They shall not know, neither see, till we have them at our
mercy." Thus they took crafty counsel, and digged deep to hide it
from the Lord, and promised themselves security and success from
the secresy of their management. 3. How cruel they were: We will
come and slay them. If nothing less than the murder of the
workmen will put a stop to the work, they will not stick at that;
nay, it is their blood they thirst for, and they are glad of any
pretence to glut themselves with it. 4. What the design was and how
confident they were of success: it was to cause the work to
cease (v. 11),
and this they were confident that they should effect. The hindering
of good work is that which bad men aim at and promise themselves;
but good work is God's work, and it shall prosper.

II. The discouragements which the builders
themselves laboured under. At the very time when the adversaries
said, Let us cause the work to cease, Judah said, "Let us
even let it fall, for we are not able to go forward with it,"
v. 10. They represent
the labourers as tired, and the remaining difficulties, even of
that first part of their work, the removing of the rubbish, as
insuperable, and therefore they think it advisable to desist for
the present. Can Judah, that warlike valiant tribe, sneak thus?
Active leading men have many times as much ado to grapple with the
fears of their friends as with the terrors of their enemies.

III. The information that was brought to
Nehemiah of the enemies' designs, v. 12. There were Jews that dwelt by
them, in the country, who, though they had not zeal enough to
bring them to Jerusalem to help their brethren in building the
wall, yet, having by their situation opportunity to discover the
enemies' motions, had so much honesty and affection to the cause as
to give intelligence of them; nay, that their intelligence might be
the more credited, they came themselves to give it, and they said
it ten times, repeating it as men in earnest, and under a concern,
and the report was confirmed by many witnesses. The intelligence
they gave is expressed abruptly, and finds work for the critics to
make out the sense of it, which perhaps is designed to intimate
that they gave this intelligence as men out of breath and in
confusion, whose very looks would make up the deficiencies of their
words. I think it may be read, without supplying any thing:
"Whatever place you turn to, they are against us, so that
you have need to be upon your guard on all sides," Note, God has
many ways of bringing to light, and so bringing to nought, the
devices and designs of his and his church's enemies. Even the cold
and feeble Jews that contentedly dwell by them shall be made to
serve as spies upon them; nay, rather than fail, a bird of the
air shall carry their voice.

IV. The pious and prudent methods which
Nehemiah, hereupon, took to baffle the design, and to secure his
work and workmen.

1. It is said (v. 14) he looked. (1.) He looked
up, engaged God for him, and put himself and his cause under the
divine protection (v.
9): We made our prayer unto our God. That was the
way of this good man, and should be our way; all his cares, all his
griefs, all his fears, he spread before God, and thereby made
himself easy. This was the first thing he did; before he used any
means, he made his prayer to God, for with him we must always
begin. (2.) He looked about him. Having prayed, he set a watch
against them. The instructions Christ has given us in our
spiritual warfare agree with this example, Matt. xxvi. 41. Watch and pray. If we
think to secure ourselves by prayer only, without watchfulness, we
are slothful and tempt God; if by watchfulness, without prayer, we
are proud and slight God; and, either way, we forfeit his
protection.

2. Observe, (1.) How he posted the guards,
v. 13. In the
lower places he set them behind the wall, that they
might annoy the enemy over it, as a breast-work; but in the
higher places, where the wall was raised to its full height, he
set them upon it, that from the top of it they might throw down
stones or darts upon the heads of the assailants: he set them
after their families, that mutual relation might engage them
to mutual assistance. (2.) How he animated and encouraged the
people, v. 14. He
observed even the nobles and rulers themselves, as well as the rest
of the people, to be in a great consternation upon the intelligence
that was brought them, and ready to conclude that they were all
undone, by which their hands were weakened both for work and war,
and therefore, he endeavours to silence their fears. "Come," says
he, "be not afraid of them, but behave yourselves valiantly,
considering, [1.] Whom you fight under. You cannot have a better
captain: Remember the Lord, who is great and terrible; you
think your enemies great and terrible, but what are they in
comparison with God, especially in opposition to him? He is great
above them to control them, and will be terrible to them when he
comes to reckon with them." Those that with an eye of faith see the
church's God to be great and terrible will see the church's enemies
to be mean and despicable. The reigning fear of God is the best
antidote against the ensnaring fear of man. He that is afraid of
a man that shall die forgets the Lord his Maker, Isa. lxxiv. 12, 13. [2.] "Whom
you fight for. You cannot have a better cause; you fight for
your brethren (Ps. cxxii.
8), your sons, and your daughters. All that is
dear to you in their world lies at stake; therefore behave
yourselves valiantly."

V. The happy disappointment which this gave
to the enemies, v.
15. When they found that their design was discovered,
and that the Jews were upon their guard, they concluded that it was
to no purpose to attempt any thing, but that God had brought
their counsel

St-Takla.org Image:
Everybody working with Nehemiah; some in construction and the others in
protection (Nehemiah 4:15-23)

to nought. They knew they could not gain their
point but by surprise, and, if their plot was known, it was
quashed. The Jews hereupon returned every one to his work,
with so much the more cheerfulness because they saw plainly that
God owned it and owned them in the doing of it. Note, God's care of
our safety should engage and encourage us to go on with vigour in
our duty. As soon as ever a danger is over let us return to our
work, and trust God another time.

The Precautions of Nehemiah. (b. c. 445.)

16 And it came to pass from that time forth,
that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the
other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows,
and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the house
of Judah. 17 They which builded on the wall, and they that
bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of
his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held
a weapon. 18 For the builders, every one had his sword
girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the
trumpet was by me. 19 And I said unto the nobles, and
to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is
great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from
another. 20 In what place therefore ye hear the sound
of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for
us. 21 So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the
spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.
22 Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let
every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the
night they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day. 23
So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the
guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving
that every one put them off for washing.

When the builders had so far reason to
think the design of the enemies broken as to return to their
work, yet they were not so secure as to lay down their arms,
knowing how restless and unwearied they were in their attempts, and
that, if one design failed, they would be hatching another. Thus
must we watch always against our spiritual enemies, and not expect
that our warfare will be accomplished till our work is. See what
course Nehemiah took, that the people might hold themselves in a
readiness, in case there should be an attack. 1. While one half
were at work, the other half were under their arms, holding
spears, and shields, and bows, not only for themselves but
for the labourers too, who would immediately quit their work, and
betake themselves to their weapons, upon the first alarm, v. 16. It is probable that they
changed services at stated hours, which would relieve the fatigue
of both, and particularly would be an ease to the bearers of
burdens, whose strength had decayed (v. 10); while they held the
weapons, they were eased and yet not idle. Thus dividing their time
between the trowels and the spears, they are said to work with
one hand and hold their weapons with the other
(v. 17), which cannot
be understood literally, for the work would require both hands; but
it intimates that they were equally employed in both, and you can find
more about that here on
st-takla.org on other commentaries and
dictionary entries. Thus must we
work out our salvation with the weapons of our warfare in our hand;
for in every duty we must expect to meet with opposition from our
spiritual enemies, against whom we must still be fighting the
good fight of faith. 2. Every builder had a sword by his side
(v. 18), which he
could carry without hindering his labour. The word of God is the
sword of the Spirit, which we ought to have always at hand and
never to seek, both in our labours and in our conflicts as
Christians. 3. Care was taken both to get and give early notice of
the approach of the enemy, in case they should endeavour to
surprise them. Nehemiah kept a trumpeter always by him to sound an
alarm, upon the first intimation of danger. The work was large, and
the builders were dispersed; for in all parts of the wall they were
labouring at the same time. Nehemiah continually walked round to
oversee the work and encourage the workmen, and so would have
speedy intelligence if the enemy made an attack, of which, by sound
of trumpet, he would soon give notice to all, and they must
immediately repair to him with a full assurance that their
God would fight for them, v. 18-20. When they acted as
workmen, it was requisite they should be dispersed wherever there
was work to do; but when as soldiers it was requisite they should
come into close order, and be found in a body. Thus should the
labourers in Christ's building be ready to unite against a common
foe. 4. The inhabitants of the villages were ordered to lodge
within Jerusalem, with their servants, not only that they might be
the nearer to their work in the morning, but that they might be
ready to help in case of an attack in the night, v. 22. The strength of a city lies more
in its hands than in its walls; secure them, and God's blessing
upon them, and be secure. 5. Nehemiah himself, and all his men,
kept closely to their business. The spears were held up, with the
sight of them to terrify the enemy, not only from sun to sun, but
from twilight to twilight every day, v. 21. Thus ought we to be always upon
our guard against our spiritual enemies, not only (as here) while
it is light, but when it is dark, for they are the
rulers of the darkness of this world. Nay, so very intent
was Nehemiah upon his work, and so fast did he hold his servants to
it, that while the heat of the business lasted neither he himself
nor his attendants went into bed, but every night lay and slept in
their clothes (v.
23), except that they shifted them now and then, either
for cleanliness or in a case of ceremonial pollution. It was a sign
that their heart was upon their work when they could not find time
to dress and undress, but resolved they would be at all times ready
for service. Good work is likely to go on successfully when those
that labour in it thus make a business of it.